Thursday, May 22, 2014

The First 5 Steps to Take as a Freelance Writer

There are a lot of elements that go into making a successful freelance writer. Taking the first few
steps into the world of internet content creation can be daunting. However, if
you set out a definite plan and follow it, getting a foot in the door can be a
lot easier than it seems.

Setup a Paypal
account – Most sites and clients pay their employees through Paypal. It can
take time to link Paypal to your bank account. Getting a head start on this
means no lag in payments.

Keep printed and
scanned W-9s – This is important because most legitimate freelance writing
sites require authors to submit a W-9. They typically do this for tax purposes
and to prove that you live in the United States. Having them on-hand can save
time and ensure you get paid as soon as possible.Write for “pay
upfront sites” – These freelance writing sites typically have a job board from
which you can pick and choose projects. They will show the price they’re paying
per job upfront and pay for completed jobs either at the end of the week or
when you request a payout. These sites usually pay pretty low but they can be
the quickest and easiest method of jumpstarting a freelance writing career.
Also, they will keep money in your account when other, higher paying jobs are
scarce.

Create a website –
This takes time so begin early and steadily build it up as you go. This site can
be a portfolio of your work or a blog about a hobby or interest. Create content
everyday for your website and monetize it as soon as possible. This will be
your freelance writing face, but you can also earn residual income from it.

Start pitching –
The easiest way to move from the pay upfront sites to higher paying clients is
to pitch them. Find subjects that are lacking in coverage or publications that
report on topics you have education or interest in and contact them. Pitching
is an art and we’ll cover it in more detail later.